Floor and ceiling construction



Filed March 11, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 [Mn/Essay- March 26, 1929. H. E. WHITE FLOOR AND CEILING CONSTRUCTION 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 xx x 45 time.

Patented- Mar. 26, 1929.

UNITED] STATES PATENT mm.

HERBERT E. WHITE, OEYOUNGS'I'OWN, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO TBUSCON STEEL COMPANY,

' OF YOUNGSTOWN, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN.

FLOOR AND CEILING CONSTRUCTION.

Application filed March 1;, 1927. Serial No. 174,588.

This invention relates a novel and practical floor and ceiling construction particularly adapted for light building cons'truction, where a substitute is desired for:

,all-wood'construction without the expense of concrete or hollow tile.

To thatend the invention'contemplatw a simple and practical construction wherein the wood floor is protected by a metallic armor or sheathing spaced therefrom to also provide an insulating air space which ren'-' d'ers the construction. reasonably fireproof.

A further object of the invention. is to provide a novel sectional metal sheathing construction wherein the joints between the plates or sections are so constructed and arranged that the fastenings. which secure the metal plates to the sup orting element are shielded or protected rom direct contact with the flame or fire thereby providing increased protection at this part of the construction;

With theabove and other objects inview which will more readily appear as the nature of the invention is-better understood, the same consists in the novel construction,

combination and arrangement of parts here inafter more fully described, illustrated and claimed.

A preferred and practical embodiment of theinvention is shown in the accompanying drawings in which Figure'l is a. vertical cross-sectional view of a portion of a floor and ceiling constructed in accordance with the presentinvention. q

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the modification shown in Fi re 1.

Figure 4 is a vertical s'ectiona view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 3. The use of the steel joists .formed of channel and angle sections spot-welded together has been common practice for some- This construction, however, has involved the use of some type of suspended ceiling or concrete floor to make the building reasonably fireproof. The underside of the,

monly used in connection with wood construction.

Accordingly as will be observed from the drawings it is proposed to provide a con- Referring more particularly to Figures 1 and 2 it will be observed that the upper and lower chords of the joists D are formed with the socket portions 1-1 which receive a wood or equivalent nailing strip or ground 2 which may be held in place by the turning.

in of the flanges at the sides of the sockets. These portions are supportedin the usual way in a building structure, and the upper nailing strips 2 are adapted to receive the fastenings 2 for a common wood 'floor 3.

The lower nailing strips 2 are adapted to receive the fastenings 4 ofthe sheathing B as shown in Figure 2 and which constitutes the ceiling. This sheathing element B is therefore, in the present embodiment adapted to be supported 'at the bottom of the joists D to provide the metallic ceiling of the structure. The said sheathing B is -preferably made of elongated sections '5 which are disposed cross-wise of the nailing strips 2 and are formed at their lateral edges with interlocking, joint portions which constitute one of the novel and distinctive 8 for fitting in the groove formed between 7.

the shoulder 6 and the attaching flange and also resting on the shoulder 6 to holdthe edges of adjacent sheaths interlocked and in supporting engagement.

As will be readily apparent from the drawings, a novel .feature of theconstruction means of the fastenings 4 penetrating the that the novel an attaching flange or margin and then when an, adjacent sheath is put in position, the

edge or joint portion thereof will conceal and protect the head of the fastening 4 from direct contact with fire and thus prevent the quick burning out of the fastening and consequently dropping of the ceiling. 7

Figures 3 and 4; of the drawings illustrate -a modification of the invention that may be resorted to,, wherein the sheathing B forming the ceilingis supplemented by an additional sheath or ceiling B arranged on top of the upper nailing strips 2 to provide an additional insulating space C be neath the floor A. In this form of construction the sections 5 of'the upper sheathing B are adapted to rest on the uppernailing strips 2 w iereby the attaching flanges 7 thereof may be secured to thestrips by the fastenings 4. In this arrangement the heads of the fastenings 4 will also be protected or concealed by the overlapping of the adjacent section, and the wood floor A secured to the strips 9 which parallel the nailing strips 2 and the top chords and constituting' a nailing ground for the wood -fioor. This arrangement provides a heavier and'stron er construction when desired and also furnishes additional resistance to fire by reason oi} providing the two air spaces C and C.

From the fore oing it will be apparent (I distinctive characteristics of the invention are to provide a-floor and ceiling construction comprising the joist members Dadapted to support the wood floor A and also carry the metallic sheathing B either at the location'of the lower chords of the joist members or between the top chords thereof and the floor. In that connection it is also pointed out that the interlocking of the metal plates or sections forming the sheathing is a valuable and. practical structural advantage since it not only serves'to reinforce the sheets at the edges but at the same time provides a construction which covers and conceals the fastenings for the sheets which would otherwise be exposed.

Without further description it is thought that the features and advantages of the invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and it will of course be understood that changes in the form, proportion and minor details of construction may be resorted to, without departing from the spirit of the invention and scope of the appended claim.

I claim p A composite wood floor and metallic ceiling construction including in combination with metallic joist members having wood nailing strips fitting in the top and bottom chords thereof, metallic sheathing sections having interlocking joint portions ofi'set from the flat plane thereof,'and one of said portions being secured directly to and cross-.

ing the nailing strips in the top and bottom chords of the joist members and providing an insulating air space between the sheathing sections and the nailing strips, floor nailing strips arranged on top of the sheathing carried by the top chords of the joist and located at the position of said chords, and a wood floor secured to said floor nailing strips.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature.

HERBERT E. WHITE. 

